CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- President Obama 's acceptance speech was heavy on policy promise, but in their use of stars, musical acts and theatrics, Democrats also sent the message that they are the ones who are savvier about Hollywood. From a standpoint of showmanship, the move from the Bank of America Stadium indoors to the Time Warner Cable Arena removed some of the more soaring aspects of Obama's night, perhaps giving an extra sense of energy to Obama's oratory. His speech was greeted in the arena with enthusiasm, as would be expected, and sought to recapture the spirit of his first run for office.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- President Obama 's acceptance speech was heavy on policy promise, but in their use of stars, musical acts and theatrics, Democrats also sent the message that they are the ones who are savvier about Hollywood. From a standpoint of showmanship, the move from the Bank of America Stadium indoors to the Time Warner Cable Arena removed some of the more soaring aspects of Obama's night, perhaps giving an extra sense of energy to Obama's oratory. His speech was greeted in the arena with enthusiasm, as would be expected, and sought to recapture the spirit of his first run for office.

When Tom Hanks paid tribute to two gay men in his Oscar acceptance speech, Rawley Farnsworth's phone began to ring - and ring and ring.Farnsworth, Hanks' drama coach at Skyline High School in Oakland, was one of the men saluted.''I thought Tom's speech was absolutely terrific,'' said Farnsworth, 69, retired and living in San Francisco.''He had something he wanted to get off his chest, and he did it in a very beautiful way that inspired people.''Hanks, 37, won the best actor award for his portrayal of a lawyer with AIDS in the film Philadelphia.

A Tavares road patrol officer is being investigated after threatening comments about President Obama appeared on her Facebook page Thursday night around the time when the president was giving his acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination. Police Chief Stoney Lubins said the department received an email Thursday night about the comment on Officer Sarah Coursey's Facebook page. It was posted about 10:15 p.m., about the same time Obama was giving his acceptance speech. Coursey was near Tavares when the following comment was posted: "Where's Lee Harvey Oswald or John Wilkes Booth when you need them!

DENVER -- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry declared America is neither safer nor stronger under President Bush's stewardship and said that when he accepts the party's nomination this week, he will urge Americans to ask themselves seriously whether they are satisfied with the nation's direction and place in the world. The Massachusetts senator said in an interview that the Bush administration has pursued ideologically driven policies that have shattered global alliances, produced a burgeoning federal deficit and placed U.S. security in peril.

A Tavares road patrol officer is being investigated after threatening comments about President Obama appeared on her Facebook page Thursday night around the time when the president was giving his acceptance speech for the Democratic nomination. Police Chief Stoney Lubins said the department received an email Thursday night about the comment on Officer Sarah Coursey's Facebook page. It was posted about 10:15 p.m., about the same time Obama was giving his acceptance speech. Coursey was near Tavares when the following comment was posted: "Where's Lee Harvey Oswald or John Wilkes Booth when you need them!

Julia Roberts, as the crusading title character in Erin Brockovich, is the nominee that I like best and she's also the one whom the academy will choose. It's her moment, and that's that. The only suspense in this category concerns what she'll be wearing and whether her acceptance speech will be funny or embarrassing. A bit of both, I'm guessing.

Actor Robin Williams has been tentatively scheduled to give a ''speech'' on Tuesday night, Aug. 27, at the Democratic National Convention, reports U.S. News & World Report. His appearance is to be followed by a laser light show. This creative scheduling may be explained by the necessity to hold viewers' interest during the days between Monday, when the convention's keynote address will be delivered, and Thursday, when the president will deliver his acceptance speech.

Are you ready for some Democratic presidential nomination acceptance speech? You'll have to wait one more night for that, but how about some football instead? The National Football League season opens Wednesday, one night earlier than in recent years, so the Dallas Cowboys ' game against the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants will not go head-to-head with President Barack Obama 's acceptance speech Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention . The NFL announced the move of its season opener in late February, roughly six months after Obama switched the time of his job creation speech before a joint session of Congress to avoid a showdown with the 2011 NFL opener.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Clint Eastwood confirmed in an interview with his hometown newspaper that he was winging it last week when — unscripted and unvetted — he addressed the Republican National Convention . The resulting loss for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney didn't stem from what Eastwood said (an American movie icon chatting with an empty chair worked for some people), but from what the Republican presidential hopeful gave up. Those 12 minutes of prime-time television, with an audience of 30 million people, will not be coming back, at least not too many times.

Are you ready for some Democratic presidential nomination acceptance speech? You'll have to wait one more night for that, but how about some football instead? The National Football League season opens Wednesday, one night earlier than in recent years, so the Dallas Cowboys ' game against the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants will not go head-to-head with President Barack Obama 's acceptance speech Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention . The NFL announced the move of its season opener in late February, roughly six months after Obama switched the time of his job creation speech before a joint session of Congress to avoid a showdown with the 2011 NFL opener.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — David Plouffe, a senior aide to President Obama , said Mitt Romney 's campaign is built on a "tripod of lies," and he blasted the Republican presidential nominee for never mentioning the war in Afghanistan and U.S troops serving overseas in his acceptance speech. Romney "didn't talk about the war we're waging in Afghanistan, or our troops, which is an amazing thing for someone who wants to be, 66 days from now, elected as our commander in chief," Plouffe said Sunday on ABC's "This Week.

TAMPA, Fla. — The idea must have seemed sure-fire when Mitt Romney 's advisors hatched it: Highlight the final night of the Republican National Convention with a surprise appearance by that long, tall drink of gritty Americana, Clint Eastwood . The beloved movie star and filmmaker surely would confer some of his abundant credibility on the Republican presidential nominee, still trying after six years of running for the White House...

TAMPA, Fla. – Mitt Romney 's acceptance speech Thursday night has been described, aptly, as the biggest of his life. It's the Republican presidential nominee's single best chance, between now and the election, to speak directly, unfiltered and at considerable length to an audience of tens of millions of voters. But do acceptance speeches matter? More to the point, do they win presidential elections? "I can't remember one that did," said veteran political writer Jack Germond, who covered his first convention in 1960, when the Democrats nominated John F. Kennedy . Ken Khachigian, the chief speechwriter for Ronald Reagan whose credits include Reagan's acceptance speech for his 1984 re-election, couldn't come up with one either.

While accepting their party's nomination for president, candidates typically use the occasion to tout their own record, hone their message and distinguish themselves from their opponents. Promises are made, but as President George H.W. Bush learned, those can haunt you. Before Mitt Romney takes the stage Thursday night in Tampa to accept the Republican nomination for president, here's a brief look back at some memorable quotes from the last 10 acceptance speeches for the GOP presidential nomination.

NEW YORK -- There's a reason that parties like to bat last in the political conventions game. If things go as the Republican high command plans, the advantage will become clear Thursday night when President Bush delivers his nomination acceptance speech. When a party holds its convention last -- the prerogative, at least recently, of the party controlling the White House -- it can profit from what it sees as mistakes of the other folks at their earlier big show. And that's exactly how Republicans view the way Democrat John Kerry handled his acceptance speech in Boston last month.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — David Plouffe, a senior aide to President Obama , said Mitt Romney 's campaign is built on a "tripod of lies," and he blasted the Republican presidential nominee for never mentioning the war in Afghanistan and U.S troops serving overseas in his acceptance speech. Romney "didn't talk about the war we're waging in Afghanistan, or our troops, which is an amazing thing for someone who wants to be, 66 days from now, elected as our commander in chief," Plouffe said Sunday on ABC's "This Week.

In a few weeks I'll post my full Q&A with Elizabeth Banks , star of "People Like Us," opening June 29. We covered a ton of topics, so here is a taste with just a few: How the actress' husband felt about her cozying up to the "Magic Mike" cast at the MTV Movie Awards and news on the rumored prequel to "Wet Hot American Summer. " I asked readers what I should ask you today, and @ItsJustJill55 wanted to know what your husband thought of what happened during your MTV Movie Awards acceptance speech with you and the "Magic Mike" cast.

Justin Bieber won Top Social Artist (whatever that is) at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards Sunday night. When he took to the stage, he gave a bit of a rambling speech, wherein he thanks his fans, Usher, his parents, God - but no mention of girlfriend Selena Gomez . In fact, Gomez was not with him for these awards at all She was all snuggles with him at the awards last year (pictured above) - even kissing him on the air, which sent Bieber fans into an absolute frenzy on the internet.